Things Hoped For
by cybria
Summary: Theo is new to the real world, but her roots are still in the Matrix. Tank has become close to Theo, too close perhaps for his own comfort. 8th chapter up.
1. New Beginnings

I don't own the Matrix or any of its characters, but man if I did.... :-p

Theo plopped down on her bed and sighed. Three weeks. Never had such a short amount of time seemed like such an eternity. Had it really been that long since she'd been unplugged? She glanced over at the tally marks on the alloy wall. Yep. Three weeks today. She picked up a piece of old concrete and scratched another mark into the wall. Why she persisted in doing so she didn't know. There was no way to even tell what day it was anymore. But it was something to do. She'd just finished helping Trinity weld the helm of the ship back in place. She'd tried help Switch and Apoc reconfigure the construct, but she was still such an amateur at the programming that she just observed for awhile then slipped away back to her quarters. She rested her head against the cold wall and closed her eyes. For the millionth time she thought about how frightened she was when she first came out of the matrix. To think that she'd never said her first word, used her eyes or took a single step until three weeks ago. It was interesting to think about. It was just like being born all over again. And yet her first life hadn't even existed. All of her memories, all of her experiences, all useless, All terribly non-existent...

She thought over these things as if they'd never entered her mind before. Just then, she heard a knock at her door. "Come in," she said. She heard the latch on the door come undone, and then it swung open. It was Tank. He was the "operator" of the all the programs aboard the ship. He held two cups in his hands. He smiled warmly. She smiled back. "Hey, you," she said as she stood. "I haven't seen you today." She then smiled ironically since she was still getting used to the fact that no one knew when "today" started or ended, only that it really didn't matter at all. "Well, I knew that you were busy with Trinity earlier.... didn't want to bother you," he said. "Apoc said that you would be here." He walked toward her and handed her a cup. She patted the space next to her and they sat down. She eyed the liquid in the cup with distaste. Tank chuckled. "Not a fan of homemade liquor, huh?" He asked. Theo said, "not this particular brand."

"Well, it keeps you runnin'.'"

"Touche"

They toasted cups and Theo took a forced swig of the awful stuff. "So how are you doing?" Asked Tank. Theo half smiled. She loved that everyone aboard the Nebucanezzer had shown so much concern for her since she first showed up. "Doing better," she answered. "Not as many nightmares." Tank nodded. Some of the things that she'd told Tank were somewhat frightening, but he knew that it was normal for the brain to play pretty bad tricks upon entering the real world. It wasn't something that he fully understood since he was born outside of the matrix, but he was still able to relate pretty well. Tank had been the least occupied and most friendly out of everyone aboard, which made it easier for Theo to talk to him than anyone else. "I had one last night," she said. "I was sitting on my front lawn...what used to be my front lawn. It was so beautiful. I never realized how beautiful it was..." she paused and sighed. "This huge hole opened up in that beautiful blue sky. It was horrible looking. Everything all around me just got sucked inside of the hole. My house, the trees, the ground under me, even the sky itself. And it was just me. And black all around. I was just floating there. In dark space. No where to go or anything..." She wondered if it was safe to shed a tear in front of him. He lower lip trembled. "Man, Tank, it's so much to take in...in just a few minutes, my whole life just disappeared. All my family, all my friends, everything that meant the world to me just disappeared. Even the world itself. Just gone."

"I know," said Tank. " It wasn't exactly the same for me, but I know what you're talking about." Theo nodded faintly. A tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped away, but two more only followed. "I just wish I could see them again," she said. "I wish that...a part of me still wishes...that I were still there. At least I'd still have something to live for, you know?" She tried to smile, but her attempt was pitiful. "Hey," whispered Tank. He wrapped an arm around Theo's shoulder and drew her closer to him. "We may not be blood, but we're all family here," he said. Theo nodded. "You guys have been great to me," said Theo. "I'm sorry if I suggested otherwise."

"No, it's okay," said Tank. "I know what you meant." There was a brief pause as if he didn't know what to say next, but Theo was fine with the silence, and simply being embraced. After awhile, Tank spoke again. "Things look bad now, but they won't always be this way. Things are going to be different now that Neo is around."

"I know," said Theo. "That's something I have to look forward to."

"See? That's better," said Tank smiling, eliciting a grin from the red-eyed girl. Theo recalled something that she'd heard when she was younger."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

"What?"

"Hebrews 11:1. It's in the bible."

Tank nodded. "I like that," he said. "You should write it down somewhere."

"I think I will."

Tank smiled and kissed Theo on the top of her head. Theo almost blushed, but was thankful that her skin was dark enough not to tell. "Thanks," she said sheepishly. "Thank _you,_" he said. "You're a breath of fresh air around this rusty old place." Theo chuckled. Tank sat up and slapped his hands against his thighs. "Well, I should be going," he said. "Switch and Apoc probably need my help by now." He gathered the two cups. "You wanna come?" Theo shook her head. "Maybe later...I think I want to rest up for a bit." Tank nodded. "Sure," he said. I'll see you later then, girl." He exited the room and shut the door behind him. Theo lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, carefully cataloging in her memory what had just happened. They would be among the few memories that she had so far. She smiled and covered her face, almost laughing. Then she picked up her piece of concrete again and, right below the tally marks, she began to carve the bible verse. She finally had something to occupy her time with. The verse was beginning to come alive again to her. _I have faith, _she thought, _that everything is going to be just fine. _That night, she slept soundly for the first time in weeks, and dreamt of being embraced so that she knew that someone really cared.


	2. A Dangerous Proposition

The next thing she knew, Theo was groggily awakening. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She thought to get up, but only to pull the cover over her. There was little heat to be held inside of the ship, must less her room when they were miles below the earth's surface. It was the cold that awakened her. She rolled over, yanked the scratchy blanket from under her, then struggle to settle under it. Not the most comfortable, but it did its job. She wondered where the irritating piece of cloth came from_...couldn't have been a goat. They don't exist anymore...why didn't the robots breed them instead...or gorillas... _More ceaseless queries popped into her head. _Not at this hour_ she thought as she tried to go back to sleep...but she couldn't. She tossed for a bit, then gave up on slipping into dreamland again. _Thank you, active imagination..._

She rolled onto her side, and forced herself to sit up. Again she yawned as she pulled the cover about her shoulders and rose to walk over to the heavy iron door. As gently as she could, she forced open the latch. A cavernous echo resulted. She paused for a moment, listening for any signs that she'd awakened someone. When she was sure that she hadn't, she proceeded to open the door, which produced a metallic groan. She opened it just enough to slip out, then look left and right, giving her eyes time to adjust to the darkness. She then walked toward the construct.

As she neared, she could see lines of green light moving perpetually downward on the wall opposite the construct. That same light illuminated Tank's face, who watched the screen from which it came as intently as if it were the climax of a good movie. 

Theo wondered how much it took to be able to interpret the seemingly random flashing symbols. She was almost scared to disturb him, but the creaking floor gave her away. When Tank saw Theo, his fixed expression softened into a welcoming grin. "Come to keep me company?" he asked. Theo slipped out of the shadows. "Only if you need it."

Tank pulled up a stool beside him and slapped down on its surface. Theo sat down gratefully and yawned once more. Tank went back to his screen. Theo glanced back and forth between it and Tank. Curiosity overcame her. "How do you know what you're looking at?" she asked. Tank chuckled. Theo felt like an inquisitive ten-year-old. "It takes some work," he said. He then tried to explain that it was more like reading than decoding, and which symbols meant what, and how different combinations meant different things. But it was confusing enough without his integrated short-cuts. "It's a lot easier than it sounds," he concluded after seeing the confusion on the girl's face. She nodded and decided to ask Morpheus later. 

"So what are you seeing now?" she asked. Tank punched a few buttons that probably zoomed in on the scene in front of him. "Street festival downtown tonight," he answered. "Whoopee." Theo smiled. "Sounds like fun," she said. Tank nodded. "I was looking in on Mardi Gras awhile back." Theo chuckled, amused. She thought it was depressingly ironic that people could hold such festive celebrations of life though they'd never even lived it. But she didn't say anything. The concept was now more fact than point of interesting discussion.

"Hey, Tank?"

"Yeah?"

I've been thinking..."

"Uh huh..."

"Well, what if I were to say that I wanted to reenter the matrix? You know...maybe the next time Trin and Neo go."

Tank smirked. "You sure? Your last episode wasn't so great."

He was right. During the jump program she nearly lost it after Morpheus went flying across the air almost effortlessly. In fact, his leap of faith wasn't followed, rather she passed out on the skyscraper rooftop. 

"I know," she contended, "but this is kind of personal."

"Oh?"

"Yeah..." she sighed. "I-I need to see my family again."

"Oh," Tank responded, somewhat delayed. He averted his eyes from hers. 

"I know that it's dangerous--"

"Extremely dangerous."

"--but," she continued, "It's worth more than that. They need to know the truth too. I can't just leave them there, vulnerable to the agents and whatever else is out there!"

"And what's to keep the agents from coming through your family if they find out you're there?"

Theo sighed, frustrated with her desire to do the right thing. "I don't know," she answered. She rose from her seat and began to walk in slow circles, the way she always did when she was trying to think. "I just know that this has been on my mind from the beginning. And that my sisters and mother and in a field somewhere, sitting in a pot of goo, and totally oblivious to everything." she recalled the sensation and putrid smell of liquefied flesh. She shuddered and willed the memory from her mind. 

"Theo," said Tank sympathetically. He stood an gently took her by the shoulder. "Don't think I don't know what you're saying. I'd want the people I cared about here with me too. But we risked a lot just bringing you back. We nearly didn't get you out. Imagine trying to free three more people." Theo let the words sink in, and Tank paused for fear of scarring the girl. "It _is_ possible," he said with a more optimistic air. "It would just take a lot...talk to Morpheus tomorrow."

"He'll probably just tell me the same thing." she slumped back onto the stool. "Maybe you're right. I'm sorry for bringing it up. I guess I never was all that realistic." Tank wasn't sure what to say. He sat down again as well. "Just talk to Morpheus tomorrow. Maybe I'm wrong." There was a brief silence. "Do you want this badly enough?" he asked. She looked at him and nodded. "Then trust me. Morpheus will know what to do."

"He always does, huh?"

"Most of the time."

Theo smiled. "Okay then. I know what to do."


	3. Popping the Question

Theo had stayed with Tank another hour before she went back to her quarters. She got in bed, but didn't sleep. She had been lying on her side staring at the wall blankly while feeding the dangerous yet hopeful ideas of returning to the matrix. She let the thoughts grow in her mind. Sometime in the night, she went back to sleep. 

When she awoke, everyone was just finishing lunch. She moaned to herself. She thought that sleeping in made her look lazy. She slipped out into the hallway, as quietly as one who was surrounded by creaking metal could, and went to the showers. At least the cold spray of water would help to wake her up. Theo missed being able to shampoo and condition her hair. Ten minutes later, she went to the dining hall, which was empty except for Mouser. Mouser was nice in a boyish way. He was younger than Theo by a few months, though sometimes she felt so much older than the aloof boy. "Hey!" he said. "Finally up, huh?" Theo gave an embarrassed smile and averted her eyes away from Mouser's. "Have you seen Morpheus around?" she asked. "Oh, yeah, yeah," he answered. "He's plugged in right now. Gone to visit a few contacts through the matrix." Theo sighed. Her anticipation was building, and now she had to wait longer. She thanked Mouser nonetheless. He smiled that boyish smile of his, then offered her a bowl of nourishment. It had the consistency of slime and tasted like nothing more than plastic, but it was all they had for now. Theo grimaced, but accepted the offer. "Just think of it as runny eggs," Mouser said as he filled the bowl. Theo chuckled. She missed eggs and toast as well as shampoo and conditioner. She sat down and he set the bowl in front of her. 

"Can I ask you something?" she said. "Sure," answered Mouser without looking up from his bowl. "Did you have any family on the inside? That you had to leave behind?" 

Mouser's spoon stopped halfway to his mouth. He set it back down and half-smiled. "Yeah," he said, looking at Theo. She saw a sadness in his eyes that made her regret asking him anything. "My mom and dad. And a little brother...his name was Titus." He paused for a moment as if calling up a picture from his memory. "I loved that kid. He looked up to me. I was on the track team at my high school. He always came to my practices and even said that he wanted to run in the Olympics one day, to make me proud of him." He paused again. Theo pressed her lips together. Mouser suddenly brightened. "I remember one time, my family showed up to a track meet one season...my brother had painted a sign for me that said 'Go win, Mousr!' The 's' was backwards and her forgot the 'e.'" Theo smiled. "He was a good kid...I miss him." 

"I'm sure you do." said Theo. "So you were a track star slash computer hacker, huh?" Mouser laughed. "I guess we all have our secrets." Theo laughed too. She never would have guessed. "What about you?" asked Mouser. "Did you have anyone?"

"Yeah. My mom and two sisters...and a boyfriend." she stopped there. She didn't want to say too much.

"You had a boyfriend? You never mentioned him before."

"Yeah. I usually don't talk about personal things right up front. I sure do miss him, though."

"You want to go back for them, don't you?" Mouser asked bluntly. Theo was taken aback. 

"Well...I do wish I could, but--"

"It seems impossible?"

Theo sighed. She'd been doing that a lot lately. "Not so impossible," she said. "I'd at least try to go back to them if got a chance."

"I probably would too."

"So why don't you?"

He shrugged. "I don't know if I'd want to risk it...too many things could go wrong, you know?"

Theo rested an elbow on the table. It seemed she was the only person who agreed with her. 

"But I guess--I guess if you asked 'what if' all the time, then nothing would really get done, ya know? Like I bet there were a million what if's when they pulled Neo out, 'What if he's not the One?' 'What if we get him killed?' But we did try for it, and now maybe we have a chance to end this war."

"But what about everyone else in matrix?"

Mouser shrugged again. "We can't save everyone else, Theo. Not now anyway." Theo nodded. "But," continued Mouser, "We can do the best we can, right?"

"Right."

"So if you did want to risk seeing your family and boyfriend again...I don't see why you shouldn't try for it." Theo admired Mouser. He wasn't great with words, but whenever he had some insight to give, it was usually good. 

"Thanks, Mouse." Theo reached over and ruffled his hair a bit. He playfully punched her in the shoulder. "You should go talk to Morpheus."

"I was thinking the same. Do you know when he's going to get back?"

Mouser looked across the ship to see Morpheus lying unconscious on the metal chair as it was being lowered. Tank was approaching him, as Morpheus was ready to be unplugged. 

"Looks like your chance," said Mouser. "Go for it."

Theo smiled at Mouser again. Without ever having touched her bowl of nourishment, she went over to the station, reassuring herself as she went. Morpheus slowly rose from his chair, letting his eyes adjust to the light again. Tank was replacing the equipment. "How was your meeting?" asked Theo. Morpheus nodded. "It went well. I just needed to get some things straightened out before we went back to Zion." 

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Morpheus smiled. "Of course. I needed to talk to you also." Tank looked up and winked at Theo. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she gave him a little wave. She and Morpheus both began walking. 

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Well, first of all, I know I've said this a million times, but thank you for having me aboard."

"It's been a pleasure."

"As you might know, I still have loved ones in the matrix."

"Uh huh..."

"And I know you've probably heard this before from some of the others, but they were a huge part of my life, and as wonderful as you guys have been to me, I've been lonely without them."

"Are you asking that you re-enter the matrix so that you can see your loved ones again?"

"Not only that," said Theo, "But I want them unplugged."

Morpheus' expression became a bit more somber. Theo continued. "I know, it would be a big risk, but I can't just leave them in there. I haven't been able to function knowing that they're stuck in that morbid factory." 

Morpheus nodded. "I know, Theo. I've noticed."

"And they're such wonderful people, my sisters, they're always willing to help out, and my mother can fix anything...my boyfriend taught me everything I know about computers..." Theo was running out of reasons, but she pressed on. "If there's any conceivable way at all that we can save them, Morpheus, even if I have to go in there myself...please..." She felt a sob rising in her throat. "I need them, Morpheus. I need them." A few tears spilled over onto her cheeks and she swiftly wiped them away. But Morpheus heard the distress in her voice. 

"Theo," he said in his characteristically fatherly voice, "I understand. And I do know what it's like to have left people behind. But you need to understand how much time, effort and risk goes into locating people--"

"I know, I do understand and I would be more than willing to contribute!" Her voice showed that she was on the verge of breaking down.

"Thus far, we've only been retrieving people who would be helpful to our cause. I apologize, it was unfair of us to strip you away from everything that you knew."

Theo nodded in acknowledgment. "But unplugging you was an investment on our part. You have a strong spirit, Theo. And your determination and skill makes you valuable to us. We need more people like that. Now I made that investment with the hopes of one day winning this war and destroying the machines for good. And I believe that one day that will come to pass, and we'll all be reunited with people that we've left behind. But for now, Theo, unplugging your family would be jeopardizing us and the rest of Zion. I'm sorry."

Theo bit her lip and fought for composure. She again nodded. 

"But," continued Morpheus, "Perhaps you can at least see them again." Theo looked up at Morpheus. "The Oracle has asked to see you." 

Her eyes went wide. "She wants to see_ me_? But why?"

Morpheus shook his head. "I'm not sure. But I stopped to see her on my way back here and she wants you to come."

Theo wasn't sure what to say. "When...when do I go?"

"Tomorrow. As soon as Tank is ready to send us."

Theo smiled. "And my family?"

"I'll see what I can do. We'd have to be discreet. Perhaps Neo will be willing to come along for protection."

Theo sighed happily and wrapped her arms around Morpheus' neck. He smiled slightly and awkwardly patted her back. "Thanks, Morpheus! Thank you so much."

She went to tell Tank what Morpheus' decision was, then she stopped for moment. "Morpheus," she said. "You've been like a father to me."

Morpheus smiled and looked at the ground humbly. "Thank you, Theo. That means a lot to me."

She smiled and ran towards the construct. _One day_, she thought. But this was good enough for now. 


	4. Needed Help

"So he's really letting you go?" Tank asked with an unbelieving air. Theo gripped the arm of the construct chair where Tank sat. "Yes!" she exclaimed. Theo could barely contain herself. "He said that we can't unplug them. I guess I expected that. But at least I can see them again. I'm so happy, Tank!" 

"I can see that!" he chuckled. "I'm happy for you. Are you worried about agents?"

"A little," she said. "But if Neo comes along, I won't be nearly as worried."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be either. Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Theo nodded. She was encouraged by his concern. "So Morpheus says that we can go tomorrow whenever you're ready."

"Well, I'm ready whenever you are."

"Super. How about this time tomorrow then?"

"Sounds good." he changed his note. "Say, I'm sorry if I discouraged you any last night. I didn't mean to." Theo waved him off. "No, no, it's okay. It was just you being sensible. There's nothing to apologize for."

Tank had been surprised at how quickly he and Theo had come to befriend each other. She had a fire about her, something that he had seen from day one. At the same time she was innocent, yet spirited and sure of herself. She definitely made a good addition to the Nebucanezzer's crew. Especially in such a perilous time.

"Well, I should go talk to Neo." she said. She smiled again and gave a little squeal. Tank was amused. 

"I'll talk to you later then," he said and she turned to leave.

"Hey, Theo," he called after her. She turned around. "Hebrews 11:1, huh?"

Theo recalled what he was talking about and brightened. "Yeah!" she said. "Everything's going to work out!"

Tank nodded, and she disappeared around the corner. 

Neo was to be found playing checkers with Dozer. It was Dozer's move when Neo saw her enter the room. "Hey there," he said.

"King me," said Dozer. 

"Aw, pssh!" went Neo. "You cheated!"

Theo laughed. "Am I interrupting?"

"No, not at all," said Dozer, "I need a witness to Neo getting whipped."

"Just wait," said Neo. "What can I do for you, Theo?"

"Well, me and Morpheus were going to see the Oracle tomorrow--"

"Ah, yes, he just stopped by about that. I'd be glad to go with you guys."

"Oh, thanks so much."

"No problem. I have to get used to this hero thing anyhow."

"Thanks, Neo. I'll see you later."

"Oh, wait, wait," he said, looking down at the checker board. He thought for a few seconds, then proceeded to capture three of Dozer's checkers. "Now _you _king _me_."

"That's so wrong," said Dozer.

Theo laughed. "Sorry, Dozer, I'm a witness."

"Yeah, yeah..." 

That night, Theo barely slept. She pictured what it would be like to see her people again. What would she say? How would she explain her missing and that she was apart of this plight for the freedom of mankind? They would probably think she was crazy. But nothing was going to stop her from going. She thought of holding her seven-year-old sister Stacey in her arms again, seeing the smile on eleven-year-old Courtney's face, the tears of joy running down her mother's cheeks...and Travis...she rolled over onto her back and sighed. _Oh, Travis... _they'd been together for over a year, since their senior year of high school. They'd celebrated their first anniversary two weeks before Theo had been unplugged. He must've be missing her terribly by now. She imagined holding him as close to her as humanly possible and again hearing her name enveloped in the sound of his voice. She bunched up her blanket and squeezed it to her chest, saturating it with her tears. I miss you all so much, she whispered to the empty room, as she had for nights before. But this time, she had something more to hold onto than her blanket. She knew it wouldn't be long now. 


	5. Walking Through Dreams

_A.N: okay, it has been well over a year since I last updated this...sometimes I just need to put things away and come back to them before I know what I want to do with it. Plus I wanna know what happens too. :-) Please R&R. Thanks._

Theo was sound asleep on her bed. The sound of crickets serenading the night floated into her room on the warm summer breeze. While she lay motionless and dreaming, her sleep was interrupted by the continuous sound of pebbles hitting her second-story window. She stirred, then blinked groggily at the interruption. "Wha...?" If she were more alert, she would have realized that it was Travis right away. She stood, stretched and slowly approached the windowsill. Sure enough, there was the tall, thin, bright eyed Travis throwing small rocks at her window at two in the morning. "Travis!" she hissed, though you could tell she was amused. "What are you doing? You'll wake Anita up!" Anita was her college roommate. And yet except for a brief stirring, she was still fast asleep. Travis smiled that big smile that always caught Theo off guard. "I wanted to see you," he said. Theo smiled in turn. It was unlike Travis to do something this spontaneous. "This is so high school," she chuckled. "Maybe even junior high." Travis laughed. "I know, sweetie. I just needed to see you. I couldn't sleep." Theo smiled. Of all the guys she knew, he was the one who could just be honest around her and enjoy doing it. Their relationship wasn't a game. That's why she loved him so much. "Give me a minute to get dressed," she said. And with that, she disappeared. Ten minutes later, she was downstairs in jeans, sneakers and her alma mater sweatshirt. Her thick black hair was tied back in a ponytail. "Shall we?" asked Travis, offering his arm. Theo took it jovially and they both laughed.  
They went walking on a path that cut though the campus which was lined with birch trees. When one looked up, the branches beautifully complimented the starry sky above. Theo took the opportunity to stare upward. The diamond-studded pattern stretched on and on. She loved stars. She loved clouds. She just loved the sky whenever it was at its most brilliant. "They're amazing, aren't they?" She asked. Travis never got tired of her saying that. He enjoyed the look of wonder on her face. "Yeah, they are," he answered, watching her more than he was watching the sky. Theo took notice. "What is it?" she asked. "Nothing," he answered. He looked away and smiled condescendingly. "Oh, come on!" she gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. "I don't like secrets. What is it?" Travis shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing new anyway. And you never believe me when I say it."

"Believe what?"

Travis smiled and shook his head again. Theo threatened him with another punch.

"Alright, alright! Stop the violence," he said defending himself.

"Then tell me."

"Alright." He had been stalling until they reached the fountain at the center of the quad, which they were now approaching. He stopped and put both arms around Theo's waist and held her for awhile until he spoke again. "You're beautiful," he said. "And the most amazing girl I've ever met."

A dreamy smile crossed Theo's face. "And...?" she teased. "And," continued Travis, "I love you more than anything."

Theo felt overcome with emotion and vulnerability. With the water cascading behind them, Travis kissed the girl of his dreams. The stars danced with extra vigor on that memorable summer night.

Just then there was a loud rap on the steel door. Theo was startled and almost fell out of her bed. She had been daydreaming again. It was a habit she was trying to break. It was a trait that wasn't very useful to her in the matrix and, though it passed the time, it was still just as useless in the waking world. The loud rap came again. Theo quickly unlatched the door and swung it open. It was Morpheous. "It's time, Theo. Are you ready?" She took a deep sigh. "Yes, I'm ready."

"Now you are absolutely sure you want to go back." He had to ask again.

"I'm sure Morpheus. It's something I have to do." Morpheous nodded. He knew what she meant. "Besides," she went on, "I need to see the Oracle." "I have to warn you," he said. "Being back might bring about a lot of strange emotions for you. It will be like--"

"Walking through a dream?"

"Exactly. You might not know how to take it at first."

Theo nodded. She had already heard all that she needed to hear. "Let's go."

She walked with Morpheous out to the console where Neo was already waiting with Trinity. "I guess you're ready," said Neo with a smile. "Don't worry. Morph and I won't let anything happen to you." she nodded and smiled. She wondered if sometimes everyone babied her too much. Not that she minded the attention. She looked up at the control center where Tank was busying himself. He looked up briefly to give Theo a reassuring wink. She chuckled. "Just about ready," he said. Trinity spoke up. "The agents are still on alert from their last security breech," she said, referring to Theo's rescue. "You guys are going to want to cover your tracks well." She then looked at Theo and said, "The oracle is going to want to speak with you." Theo nodded her head. "She usually wants to speak with new people. Think of it as an initiation." Morpheus chimed in. "Just remember," he said, "Whatever you do, just be honest. She knows you better than you know yourself." Theo silently swallowed. She wondered whether or not she was really prepared.. "Alright, let's get this show on the road," said Tank. "Load 'em up, Trinity."

Morpheous, Neo and Theo all took their positions in the armchairs. Theo's heart was beating wildly. She was finally returning to the only home she ever knew, only now she would see it for what it really was. Trinity inserted the long steel prong into the back of Morpheus' skull, then one into Neo's. She came to Theo and gave her a slight smile. "You'll be fine," she said. "Now just relax. This will feel...a little weird."

_I will add more. but I didn't want this cheaper to be too long. I've been busy lately, so I'll have the next one up within the next two weeks. I promise! Stay tuned._


	6. The Oracle

_Sorry this is late, everyone. Moving, stopping school, family issues, job hunting, etc…it can get in the way of fan fiction. :-p This is going in a new direction other than what I originally intended, but I hope you like it. Please Read and Review. Thanks._

_Disclaimer: I do not own or claim any part of the Matrix movie trilogy._

The next thing Theo knew, she was standing in an alley at midday. She was wearing leather pants and boots, a black Egyptian cotton shirt, a long coat and shades that would cost a fortune if she had gotten them by normal means. Not something she would usually wear, but she did feel quite stylish. Neo and Morpheus were wearing similar outfits, but of course, she thought, they look a lot cooler in them. "Let's get going," said Morpheus.

They passed to the front of the building, an old, brownstone apartment. They walked inside. Morpheus nodded a greeting to a man whom, Theo later realized, was blind. "Morpheus," she asked him in the elevator, "Did he really see you?" Morpheus gave her a slight smile in response. "Would you be surprised if he did?" Theo knew enough about the matrix by now to know the answer. They arrived at the Oracle's front door. Before Morpheus even knocked, an Asian woman opened it. "Hello, Theophania," she said. Theo didn't notice her own jaw visibly drop. No one had called her by her full name since kindergarten. "You are right on time," the woman said. "Come in. Neo, Morpheus, nice to see you again."

It wasn't what Theo had expected. The apartment was modestly decorated, with a stain on the wall here and there. The air was stuffy and smelled of staleness and cigarettes, battled by the aroma of baking cookies coming from the kitchen. It reminded Theo of her grandmother's house. So much for grandiose and mystery. "Right this way, Theo," said the woman. "She'll see you now."

Theo nervously separated the beaded curtain dividing the kitchen from the living room. A mocha-skinned woman, perhaps somewhere in her early sixties, was busying herself about the kitchen. Theo saw mostly the back of her graying head at first, for the woman did not say anything. She only looked from cupboard to cupboard as if her guest wasn't waiting for her to speak. Theo was already a visible mix of anxiety, nervousness and anticipation. Now she was also frustrated. "Ah, here it is," said the woman at last, pulling a dark bottle from one of the top shelves. She read it as she turned to face Theo. "I can't believe I forgot to add vanilla to these cookies." She gave Theo a smile. Theo feebly returned it. "Ah well," said the woman as she twisted open the bottle and poured a few drops into a bowl of remaining dough. "No use crying over the first batch. The rest will be alright." She mixed the dough well before she finally sat down and lit a cigarette. "Theo, Theo, Theo," she said amusedly. "The newest addition to the cause."

"And you are the fabled Oracle."

"I imagine I'm not what you expected."

"No, ma'am. No long robe and crystal ball."

The Oracle gave a hearty chuckle. "You've got spirit, kid. You're going to need it." She dabbed the end of her cigarette in an ashtray. "You came here expecting me to tell you about yourself." Theo took a deep breath. The words she had in her mind weren't ready to be said just yet. The Oracle added, "Well, what do you want me to tell you?" There was an awkward silence, one that Theo was struggling to fill. The Oracle continued. "What you want me to tell you, Theo, wouldn't be truthful for me to say." Her heart sank. Did the Oracle really know what she was thinking? "You want me to tell you to continue with your agenda, to rejoin your loved-ones in a joyous reunion and maybe, just maybe, things will go back to normal. You'll lie down in your old bed and find that all of this was just a terrible, seemingly endless dream." She rose to take the cookies from the oven. "Safety, stability, self-assurance, a reasonable level of comfort: these are all things that most humans take for granted." She took a spatula from the drawer. "Most go through life never knowing that it can all be snatched away from them in an instant. But you know it, Theo." She turned and gave Theo such an earnest look that it was hard to deny that her words were true, though at the back of her mind there had burned hope of some small restoration of normality. "Everything you've ever known and loved turned out to be an elaborate fairytale. And yet...it's still everything you've ever known and loved. You want to go back. But you're chasing a dream that will always be out of your grasp, no matter how much you want it." At that moment, the foundation of Theo's hope was shaken. "I can still try," she said desperately. "There has to be some way for me to reach them!" The Oracle finished with the first batch of cookies and again sat down at the table. "If you go to them Theo, you'll be putting your life as well as their lives in danger. The agents _will _use them to find you. And when they do, the odds will be against all of you." The foundation crumbled, and the girl's paradigm came crashing down beneath the weight of the Oracle's words. She would not dare risk anyone's life, and yet...she had never wanted anything so much in her life but to be happy again. How could life be so unfair? How could it expect her to quench her longing? Her eyes welled up with tears, which she quickly blinked away. "It's alright to cry, child. You have nothing to hide from me." Theo nodded as she turned to leave. "Thank you," she said feebly. "Oh, and Theo," said the Oracle. Theo turned around. "The pen _is _mightier than the sword." Theo got the message. "Your heart will heal in time. In more ways than you know." It wasn't possible, thought Theo. But she guessed the Oracle would know.

She exited through the curtain, walking right past Morpheus and Neo. She couldn't speak to anyone...there was too much in her head to form a logical, spoken thought. "Theo," called Morpheus, but she barely heard him. Her pace quickened as she walked out the door. She began to walk faster until she was running. She threw open the door to the stairwell and ran down, footsteps behind her. She just wanted to get away. She didn't care where to or what would happen when she got there. "Theo!" called Morpheus, his voice distant in her mind. Tears streamed down her face. Images of her family and friends flashed through her mind, a self-torturing montage of things that would never be again. In her frenzy, Theo lost her footing on the last flight of stairs. She tried to steady herself, but it was no use. She pitched forward, her head hitting the railing and spinning her around. She hit her back hard against the stairs and gave a pained yelp as she slid the rest of the way down. Theo saw the spiraling stairs above her, with her companions racing down them like vultures circling overhead. The scene began to fade as they got closer, until all went black in her mind.

_Don't be afraid to leave a review! The next chapter will be up within the next three weeks._


	7. Reason

_A/N: I decided that I am going to divert away from the original movie plot. I am just working with the concept of the matrix and its characters. So this will center mainly around my Theo. It makes for a good read. I hope you are enjoying it so far.  
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of the Matrix or any of its characters. This story has no official affiliation with the Matrix trilogy. It's just for fun. Geez. _

Shadows of things that she had seen before were all around her. The voices whispered their familiarities; remnants of the binding force that drove her forward. But something wasn't right. Now they were distant and cold things. They surrounded her mind like a dark and murky sea. She sank into them, half waking and half dreaming. As the voices grew louder, she stirred little by little. Until finally she was thrashing her way to the surface, desperate to keep her sanity. Desperate to stay alive...

Theo's eyes flew open as she gasped dramatically. She was laying on her side and a bright light shone above her. She barely knew where she was or what just happened...nothing made sense anymore. She sat up quickly and attempted to get away from the bed, but strong hands restrained her. She tried to move away, but she found that she could not move her legs, and her arms were weak. Frustrated, she began to cry and scream until her energy was spent. She reluctantly sank back down to the bed, now well aware of the horrible pain in the back of her head and back. She moaned as tears continued to stream down her face. Each sob brought a new wave of pain over the back of her body. But her recollection of the Oracle's advice had a numbing effect on her physical pain. The stabbing loss hurt her even more. "Easy, Theo," came a familiar voice. The same hand that restrained her now stroked her shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright." Morpheus said this over and over as Theo's pain washed down her face in torrents. She felt another hand holding her foot. Tank bit his lip and bowed his head. No matter many times he had seen it or how many forms he had seen it in, the pain that was only brought on by the matrix's deception never failed to prick him. And now another victim. An innocent girl who had been such a joy to him...it made him so sick.

Morpheus, Trinity and Tank stayed with Theo until she had cried herself to sleep. "We've done all we can for now," said Trinity. "The concussion will heal in time. She won't be able to walk for a few weeks at least. But she should be back on her feet eventually." Morpheus took one last glance at Theo on her tear-soaked pillow and sighed. "We should let her rest then," he said as he rose. Trinity followed, but Tank lingered a bit. Trinity looked back and forth between the two men. "I'll be around," she said. "I'll see you two later." She left the room, and Morpheus again joined Tank. "So what are you thinking?" Morpheus asked. Tank shook his head, sat back in his chair and sighed. "We should've left her alone." He had been that much more hardened by this whole ordeal, and it could be heard in his voice. "She had so much going for her. She was happy." Morpheus nodded. "I'm beginning to think the same. There were others."

"So why did we choose her?"

Morpheus was quiet as he watched Theo sleeping. "Somehow I feel that she is here for a reason."

"We all are, Morpheus."

"Yes. We are. I wasn't always the man that I am today. She won't always be the Theo that we know now. She'll become stronger. She has to. And when she does, it will be clear why she is here."

"She's here because we brought her here."

Morpheus chuckled and shook his head. "I think that this goes deeper than what you're telling me."

Tank was a bit caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean." Morpheus looked at Tank with a sly smile. He was having too much fun with this.

"Oh, come on, Morpheus. You don't really think that—"

You don't have to explain anything to me, Tank. It's entirely your matter. I was just making an observation."

"But there's nothing to observe! This is ridiculous."

All too quickly he stood from he seat and walked toward the door. "I'm going to the construct." he murmured, and then he was gone. Morpheus smiled and glanced at the sleeping Theo. "Young lady, you've caused quite a stir around here."


	8. Because of a Girl

_I'm back! :) Thanks to everyone who requested for this story to be updated. I know it's been awhile...like previously stated, sometimes it's good to leave a story for awhile (or even a long while) and then come back to it later with fresh perspective.  
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Matrix Trilogy, its characters or any related entities.  
With that said, enjoy!_

Over the next week or so, Theo could tolerate most of the attitude changes toward her. It seemed as if any room she entered, the person within it would suddenly become very involved in whatever they were doing. Or if they had not been doing anything at that moment, they quickly found something to do so as not to have to look at her directly when they said hello. Morpheous had already firmly scolded her for running off the way she did. She'd already apologized to the crew collectively, especially to Neo, whom she heard had to quickly carry her to a nearby phone booth after the fall. She could only imagine the panic she had caused, when agents could have appeared at any moment. She was right to blame herself for the change of atmosphere aboard the Nebuchadnezzar.

But Tank...Tank was another story altogether. He seemed to go out of his way to get away from Theo. And it was never too difficult to outrun her since she was on crutches. He seemed to have become very good at ducking into rooms when they were about to pass in the hallway. One night after the accident, she went to sit with him at the construct. He muttered hello and looked so tense that Theo had to excuse herself and go back to her room. She was heartbroken. Was he really that mad at her?

Theo wasn't the only one who had noticed Tank's change in demeanor. One day, Dozer approached Tank with knowing intrigue. "You've been quiet lately, T," he said. Here he was, burly and hands covered with grease, sitting down to have a heart-to-heart with his younger brother. Tank continued tapping away at the construct screen without even looking in Dozer's direction. "Have I?" he answered. "I didn't notice."

"Well yeah, ever since that incident with Theo you've been walking around like a robot."

"I've been busy."

"Really?"

"We've all been busy."

"No more than usual."

"I've just had things on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Just..things."

"Like what, T?"

Tank sighed and rolled his eyes. "Look...I'm fine. Nothing's wrong, I just...just..."

He knew he was losing ground. Dozer gave a sympathetic smile.

"I've seen how you look at her Tank. Just admit it. You like Theo but you don't wanna show it."

Tank felt the blood rushing to his face. He had helped pilot the Neb at high speeds across miles of jagged rock while being pursued by sentinals. He had successfully retrieved his shipmates from the matrix while agents were hot on their trail. He had never lost a single person. Now here he was, being brought to his knees by a crush on a girl.

"I can't do this right now," he said and rose to leave his seat.

"No, nuh uh. Sit." Dozer's mighty frame rose to block his path. Tank knew he didn't stand much of a chance, so he reluctantly returned to his chair.

"You need to tell her, man," said Dozer once Tank was seated. Tank scoffed.

"Yeah right," he said. "I'm ten years older than her, man. And why would she bother with a grease monkey like me?"

Dozer chuckled. "Yeah, good point," he said. Tank punched him in his shoulder.

"Who the hell asked you?" he said sarcastically. And they both laughed.

"Seriously though, I know you haven't had that much luck with women since Leti..."

Tank smiled again.

"I dunno. Theo just seems...different."

"I know she's different." A thoughtful look settled on Tank's face. "She's sweet as hell...always smiling."

"And she's cute."

Tank smirked. Those full lips...the way her cheeks plumped when she smiled. Those crystalline brown eyes that, despite her sadness, always sparkled with some hidden laughter. Theo touched a part of him that he didn't know had existed before. He was a man. A man in the midst of a revolution. To let your guard down could mean the end of your life. He was thoroughly uncomfortable with how vulnerable the new girl made him feel. Yet at the same time, he wanted more of her. He wanted her to feel the same. This wasn't anything like the handful of semi-relatonships he'd had in the past. This felt like more than that. It felt....deeper. More real. Like something _real_ could happen between him and Theo. Tank felt a bit embarassed that Dozer had noticed that he had been acting strangely, but he knew that if anyone had his best interest at heart, it was brother.

"We'll be docking in Zion next week," Dozer said. Of course Tank already knew that. But he heard something behind Dozer's voice.  
"And?"

"And you know they'll be having a big party when we get there."

Tank smiled. "I got you. I'll talk to her then."

"That's if you've grown a pair by then, lil brother."

Tank went to punch Dozer again but this time Dozer dodged him.

"Too fast for ya!" he laughed. "I'll see you later man."

"Alright, D."

So that was it...Tank was going to tell Theo that he was into her...or that he wanted to be her old man...or...what was it exactly that he was going to tell her? He closed his eyes and sighed. He had no idea what he was doing. In the past he'd never had a serious relationship. Just a few shallow flings that kept his libido satisfied.

When he was eight or nine there had been a girl who lived nearby, Leti. Leti was shy...she was tall and thin with big green eyes. The first time they saw each other was in front of his family's house. She just stared at him. He stared back. They stared for a good thirty seconds before she turned around and dashed back to her house. The next day he saw her again. They stared at each other again. This time she took a few steps toward him. He asked her name. She smiled and told him. "I'm Tank," he said. And after that they were best of friends. Almost every day, he, Dozer, Leti and some other kids would run off and play _agents and heroes_ near the giant resivoire. Tank was very protective of Leti, and whenever anyone started to play to rough with her, he'd promptly run them off. Once the dam operator caught Tank climbing over the railings and chased them all away, forbidding them from ever playing there again. Not long after, Leti discovered a small enclave that became their "house." Tank was the husband and Leti was the wife. Dozer and some of the other kids would visit "Tank's house" from time to time. Leti would bake dirt pies in their oven and Tank would tend to the "garden" in front of the house where the fruits and vegetables grew. Their parents had always told them that a long time ago, there were these organisms called _plants, and_ they weren't human or machine or even animals, but they grew out of the ground and humans would use them for food, shelter and clothing. The children always thought it strange. How could something just grow up out of the ground? But it sounded like a cool idea to have plants of your own. So Tank was quite proud of his garden.

One day he had to say goodbye to Leti. Her parents had been killed in a sentinal attack. A family on the other side of Zion had offered to take her in. He saw her less and less after that. For some reason, her new family wasn't too keen on letting her go to see Tank often. He found out why when he was in his early twenties, that Leti had gone on to marry the family's oldest son. Tank and Leti remained good friends. But that was the closest he'd ever come to having a real girlfriend.

He really wasn't that proficient with women when he was eight. So how was it going to be now?


End file.
